Prayers

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Table Grace

Anonymous

Back of the bread is the flour,
And back of the flour is the mill,
And back of the mill is the wind and the rain,
And the Father's will.

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Prayer for the Earth

Anonymous

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

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Prayer for All Fools' Day

Anonymous

Give me a sense of humor,
Give me the grace to see a joke,
To get some pleasure out of life
And pass it on to other folk.

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Guide Me Through These Dark Days

Maureen Pratt

O Lord, I am torn up with grief.
I know you are there, but I cannot see past
my sorrow and tears.
Be with me, Lord, and do not take
my unhappiness to heart.
Rather, work within me to guide me through
these dark days
and bring your light to my life,
so that I may see your goodness, even in my mourning.

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Protect Them

Jim & Kaye Johns

Father, I'm praying for (name one or more) and those who are serving with him/her, and for their families...

The Bible tells us You're our rock, our fortress, and our shield— and these people on my heart need You to be all these things and more! They don't have to be in the heat of battle to be in danger; the world is a dangerous place wherever they are. (Psalm 18:2)

Grant them new life, that they may run under Your wings when they face danger of any kind; cover them with Your feathers. Help them stay in constant touch with You, living in Your presence. Then send Your angels to surround them and guard them wherever they go! ( John 3:3, 5; Psalm 57:1; 91:1–2, 4, 9, 11; 2 Kings 6:17)

Help them turn to You as their refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Go before them and protect them from behind. Be their shade from the heat, their shelter from the storm, their hiding place—protect them from trouble. Watch over them, for You never sleep. Their lives are in Your hands; may they trust in You and not be afraid. (Psalm 46:1; Isaiah 52:12; 25:4b; Psalm 32:7a; 121:4–5; 31:15; 56:11)

In Jesus' name, amen.

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Nighttime Prayer

Anonymous

My God, I love You with all my heart. I thank You for having kept me safe this day. Pardon me the evil I have done, and accept the good I have done. Take care of me while I sleep and deliver me from all danger. May Your grace be always with me and with all my loved ones. Amen.

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Seeking Healing From God

Anonymous

O God, the source of all health: So fill my heart with faith in your love, that with calm expectancy I may make room for your power to possess me, and gracefully accept your healing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer for a Sick Person

Anonymous

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need: We humbly beseech thee to behold, visit, and relieve thy sick servant ______ for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy; comfort him with a sense of thy goodness; preserve him from the temptations of the enemy; and give him patience under his affliction. In thy good time, restore him to health, and enable him to lead the residue of his life in thy fear, and to thy glory; and grant that he may dwell with thee in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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For Vocation in Daily Work

Anonymous

Almighty God our heavenly Father, who declarest thy glory and showest forth thy handiwork in the heavens and in the earth: Deliver us, we beseech thee, in our various occupations from the service of self alone, that we may do the work which thou givest us to do in truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of him who came among us as one that serveth, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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The Prayer of St. Patrick

Anonymous

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

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Prayer of a Woman Facing an Abortion

Vienna Cobb Anderson

The choice has been made.
One of the hardest of my life.
Bless me as I go forth.
Help me to face the guilt I feel
so that I may not run from the truth.
Empower me to own the fear in my heart
that I may have compassion
for others who share my pain.
Bless all who support me
with the strength of their love.
Amen.

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Luther's Evening Prayer

Martin Luther

My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.

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Prayer for Creative Work

Sophy Burnham

O most Glorious and Blessed God, I present myself and this work into Your hands. Do with it as You will. Guide my thoughts. Hold my hands, that You alone are writing (painting, carving) through me, producing whatever You wish me to say. And now, O my Beloved and my Joy, I prostrate myself into Your most loving embrace in thanks that You give me talent, inspiration, discipline to do Your work. Amen. So be it.

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Walking in the Way of Jesus

Anonymous

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

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Prayer for Forgiveness

Anonymous

Forgive me my sins, O Lord; forgive me the sins of my youth and the sins of mine age, the sins of my soul and the sins of my body, my secret and my whispering sins, the sins I have done to please myself and the sins I have done to please others. Forgive those sins which I know, and the sins which I know not; forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all of Thy great goodness. Amen

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Thanksgiving for a Beginning of Recovery

Anonymous

O Lord, your compassions never fail and your mercies are new every morning: We give you thanks for giving our brother/sister ___ both relief from pain and hope of health renewed. Continue in him, we pray, the good work you have begun; that he, daily increasing in bodily strength, and rejoicing in your goodness, may so order his life and conduct that he may always think and do those things that please you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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A Prayer for Our Family

Vienna Cobb Anderson

O Loving God,
bless our family with your love.
Guard us from all danger and harm;
deliver us from anger that leads to division;
empower us to forgive as we have been forgiven;
and send us into the world
to witness to your love and grace;
in the name of Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.

[phkrause]

Prayer for the Earth

Anonymous

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

[phkrause]

Thank You for My Voice

Beliefnet member Soulvisitor

Today, I thank God for the gift of my voice. Let my vocal gifts be a living illustration of God's generosity. Let all who hear it, hear the voice of the Father. May my words, sung, spoken, or whispered be those of the divine spirit working through me. Thank you, Lord for making me an instrument of your will.

[phkrause]

To Worship in Spirit and Truth

Jim & Kaye Johns

Father, I'm praying that (name one or more) and others in my circle of family and friends will worship You in spirit and in truth...

May they learn to worship You in spirit, for You are spirit, and You have created us in Your image with spirit, soul, and body. May they worship You by the Spirit of God. (John 4:24; Genesis 1:26a, 27a; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Philippians 3:3a)

May they never have an idol in their lives—anyone or anything more important to them than You. May their worship be pleasing to You, and even in the midst of disappointment or great sorrow, may they turn to You in worship. May they surrender themselves to You completely as living sacrifices— for that in itself is a spiritual act of worship. (Ezekiel 14:3; Romans 12:1; 2 Samuel 12:19–20)

Help them worship You in spirit and in truth—the truth of Who You are as You have revealed Yourself to be in the Scriptures—not the God they want You to be or imagine You are. May they worship You in the truth of how You have revealed Yourself through their personal relationship with You. ( John 4:23; Exodus 3:14; John 4:22; 17:3)

May their worship come from the heart. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Prayer for Healing and Comfort

Anonymous

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servant (name), and give your power of healing to those who minister to his needs, that he may be strengthened in his weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer for Peaceful Sleep

Archbishop Laud (1573-1645)

Lord God,
send peaceful sleep
to refresh our tired bodies.
May your help always renew us
and keep us strong in your service.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Into your hands, O Lord, we commend our souls and bodies, beseeching you to keep us this night under your protection and strengthen us for our service on the morrow, for Christ's sake.
Amen.

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Adoption Prayer

Anonymous

Father of the fatherless, you give your children a home in which to dwell; and like a loving mother you gather us into your household. We give you thanks for the child who has come to bless this family and for the parents who have taken this child to be their own. By the power of your Holy Spirit, fill (name(s) of parent or parents) with trust, understanding and affection; and, through this child in our midst, enable us better to know the mystery that we are all your children by adoption; through Jesus Christ our Lord."

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Prayer for the Troops in Iraq

Beliefnet member tngrandma

Dear Lord, please hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them, Father, as they protect us. When they are tired, give them strength and rest. If they are wounded, Father, give them comfort. When they are lonely, may they feel you near them. Grant them strength, courage, and wisdom for their tasks. And, Lord, uplift and strengthen the families and loved ones who wait for their return. Please, Father, bring a quick end to all this conflict. I pray in the name of Jesus, our Saviour. Amen.

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Prayer for Those Facing Surgery

Maureen Pratt

O Lord, as I face surgery,
You know what my fears and worries are.
Please guide my heart and soul to trust in you,
to know that you are at my side and pouring your
protection upon me,
even through the darkest valley.